Celtics tickets and garb grow hotter

Friday

With each step the team takes toward a 17th NBA crown, the excitement surrounding the Celtics boils hotter and hotter among fans.

With each step the team takes toward a 17th NBA crown, the excitement surrounding the Celtics boils hotter and hotter among fans.

The men in green may not have grabbed as much interest from area sports fans as the Red Sox, but considering where they were last year, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are doing well.

A big basketball fan, Millbury's Scott Bonner has used tickets from his company, EPM Inc. in Framingham, for years. This year there is more competition.

"Last year I was able to go a lot of games, when no one wanted to go," said Bonner, warming up for a noontime game of hoops at the Framingham YMCA. "This year it is harder, but I got to go to Game 7 against Cleveland."

Another lunchtime hoopster, John Morrissey of Wayland, said this year's Celtics team has started to rekindle his interest in pro ball. He stopped liking the NBA after the Detroit Pistons of the early 1990s and Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls teams began to dominate the game.

"There was too much focus on coaching, defense and one-on-one play," Morrissey said. "I do like the current Celtics team. They passed it around. It's not just one guy."

The level of Celtics fever can be seen in the numbers of jerseys, hats and other items flying off the shelf at Natick Outdoor Store. Owner Henry Kanner said the C's are big business these days.

"Everybody loves a winner, everyone wants to follow a winner, everyone wants to support a winner," Kanner said. "Last year, people didn't want to be seen in a Celtics shirt."

Many of the items are being bought for, or by, children, Kanner said, but adults are getting in the act.

"We are selling a lot of shirts to kids," Kanner said. "Parents are buying things, too. A lot of hats."

The Red Sox remain a big seller throughout the year, said Kanner, who stocks 12 different colors of the hats with the 'B' on the front. The Patriots, even with their success over the past several years, can only hold people's interest through the Super Bowl, Kanner said.

Right now Celtics paraphernalia sells only during the season, but Kanner said that might change.

"It will be interesting to see if the Celtics sell after the season," Kanner said. "If they get to the finals and win, I figure they will keep selling."

The dream matchup would be Celtics-Lakers, Kanner said.

"They will have the traditional match up," Kanner said. "It will bring back memories of Bird and Magic."

Charlie Breitrose can be reached at 508-626-3964 or cbreitro@cnc.com.

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